Bikeshare Launches in White Plains
In step with plans to encourage more cycling in White Plains along with increased and safer bike lane construction and racks in public places, ofo and Lime, two bikeshare companies, were introduced to the city on Monday during a ceremony at Renaissance Plaza.
Ofo, which started in China in 2014 and now has over 10 millions bikes deployed globally, is making its first entry into the region with the program in White Plains.
Lime was initiated in 2017 in the United States and has expanded to Europe.
Both systems are dockless – you can take a bike where you want and leave it when you are finished riding, as long as it is left legally and safely, not in the public right-of-way. Existing bike racks in parking facilities and outside buildings are suitable deposit locations.
The White Plains Common Council adopted a dockless bike share ordinance in March. The ordinance creates a one-year pilot program and authorizes the city to establish a permit process through which dockless bikeshare operators can operate within the city. The ordinance includes detailed operating standards as well as standards for the bikes themselves. Permitted operators will be able to deploy up to 150 bikes in the first 30 days of operation. Additional bikes would need the approval of the city.
The ofo bikes are yellow and Lime’s, obviously, a lime green.
The operators will be responsible for maintaining their fleet of bikes and for “rebalancing” the bikes around the city on a regular basis.
To join, you download either app to your smartphone to locate the bikes nearby. They are fitted with GPS and a unique identification number.
Riders need to be 18 to participate and must follow local helmet laws.
In the app, you tap an “unlock” button and scan the QR code on the bike to automatically unlock. When you arrive at your destination, use the app to lock the bike and your trip is ended.
The ofo rental cost is $1 per hour and begins once the bike is unlocked and ends when it is locked.
Ofo’s CEO David Dai and his partners first introduced the bikeshare concept to students at Peking University where they convinced 2,000 students to add their bicycle to their registry. The registry was accessed through a mobile app and allowed participants to use any registered bike, anywhere, any time.
The platform became so popular that is expanded to five more campuses within three months. Building on this momentum, the company revised its operating model to offer users standardized bicycles and expanded to major cities across China and then internationally. The company estimates that every mile traveled by bike lowers carbon emissions by .77 lbs (as compared to driving) and that to date ofo riders have reduced aggregate carbon emissions by over 13,500 tons.
